Load-Triggered Dishwasher Control for Low-Cost Cleaning Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household cleaning appliances often waste resources by starting cleaning programs without sufficient load or at unfavorable energy costs, leading to inefficiencies in energy, water, and detergent usage.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance equipped with load and time detection devices, along with a controller that automatically starts a cleaning program only when a minimum load is reached and energy costs are favorable, ensuring efficient resource usage by integrating features like automatic door closing and detergent detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the appliance automatically starts cleaning programs without load verification, then the appliance operates conveniently and responds quickly to user input, but resources (energy, water, detergent) are wasted when the load is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary verification of load quantity, time conditions, and cleaning agent availability before automatically starting the cleaning program. This preliminary check ensures that all necessary conditions are met before resource consumption begins, preventing waste while maintaining automatic operation convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors load quantity via detection devices and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit uses this feedback to determine whether to start the cleaning program, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents resource waste while maintaining automatic operation
2Productivity
If the appliance starts cleaning programs at any time, then the appliance responds immediately to cleaning needs, but energy costs increase during high-energy-cost periods
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit preliminarily evaluates energy cost conditions and time parameters before initiating the cleaning program. By checking whether current energy costs are favorable and time conditions are met beforehand, the system schedules cleaning operations during low-energy-cost periods, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the cleaning program start time based on real-time energy cost data and detected load conditions. Rather than using a fixed start time, the control unit flexibly determines the optimal start moment when both load requirements and energy cost conditions are satisfied, balancing responsiveness with energy efficiency
3Productivity
If the appliance runs cleaning programs with minimal load, then the appliance utilizes its capacity frequently, but water and detergent consumption increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary verification of load quantity using detection devices before starting the cleaning program. This advance check ensures that the load meets minimum thresholds for water and detergent consumption, preventing substance waste while maintaining appropriate appliance utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors load quantity and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts cleaning program initiation decisions accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that cleaning programs only start when sufficient load is present, optimizing the balance between appliance utilization and resource consumption
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A household appliance for cleaning a load comprises a treatment space for accommodating a load to be cleaned, a load detecting device (18) for detecting a load amount (W) in the treatment space; and a time recording device (20) for recording a time value (T). A controller (10) of the household appliance automatically starts a cleaning program if (i) the load quantity (W) detected by the load detection device (18) exceeds a predetermined load limit value (w) and (ii) the time value (T ) exceeds a predetermined time limit (t).